Stranded at Sea: Mariners blank Red Sox 2-0

It was an exercise in futility Saturday night at Fenway Park. Both the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox certainly displayed why they are last in their respective divisions. Each team yearning to turn the calendar to May.

Getty Images logo Getty Images BOSTON, MA - APRIL 30: David Ortiz #34 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after he struck out in the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners Miguel Olivo #30 of the Seattle Mariners sends the ball to the pitcher on April 30, 2011 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.

Neither team seemed to be able to generate anything with runners in scoring position on the evening. Both starters, Doug Fister and John Lackey reached 100 pitches by the sixth, which was even more of a testament to terrible hitting by both clubs.

Boston with one out in the first and the bases full, couldn’t come through with a key hit and the M’s escaped. It would be a recurring theme for the Red Sox who went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

In the third, Seattle broke through after a one out walk to Ichiro, Chone Figgins singled to right, setting up runners at the corners. Milton Bradley got his money’s worth on his short-lived night. Bradley doubled to left to bring home Ichiro and gave the M’s a 1-0 lead. With second and third occupied, Miguel Olivo grounded to Kevin Youkilis at third and Youkilis double-clutched, faking home and throwing to first. Olivo was clearly safe on the replay, but called out on the field and Bradley on second wasn’t having any of it and was promptly tossed.

Boston looked to have something cooking in the fifth. Jarrod Saltalamacchia doubled off the Green Monster and both Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia coaxed walks. With no outs, Adrian Gonzalez lined out to second for a double play and Kevin Youkilis popped out to first to retired the side.

Seattle picked up their second run in the sixth on a Jack Wilson sac fly to center to drive home Jack Cust.

The bottom frame had the Red Sox threatening again but with runners at the corners and two down, Salty popped out to Olivo on a nice catch in foul territory to squelch yet another potential rally.

It was really quite a forgettable game otherwise as Brandon League came in on the ninth to close things out for his seventh save and a Mariners 2-0 win.

Boston has dropped two straight to Seattle and finishes their second consecutive April with a losing record at 11-15. The Red Sox are only 5-6 at Fenway Park this season. It doesn’t get any easier tomorrow with King Felix on the bump.